The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-01-20

tion of the people of Virginia TO the ques
ton Of pleuro-pneumonia in cat tie, and til
great Importance of such prompt an
| effective legislation as will enable us t
crush this terrible monster, which is
menace to the cattle interests of th
country, and which, if not stamped out b
the strong arm of the General Govern
ment, will completely para'yze the cattl
industry of the entire land. The fact tina
pleuro-pneumonia exists in any part of tn
United States should fill with alarm eyer
friend of our cattle interests who has an
knowledge of the terrible nature of tn
disease and the great difficulty of extir
pating it after it gets firm hold upon
country. But the fact that this diseas
exists in the city of Chicago, the grea
central cattle-e exchange Of this country
and that nearly 5000 diseased cattle hav
been recently slaughtered in that city
strikes terror into the heart of every cat
tie owner upon the American continent
The English ports have already been CLOSED
to our animal shipments on account of thi
plague, and unless it is speedily stamped
out there is great danger that the embargo
be made to apply to- eur dead meat trade a
well, which would effect loss to the ex
port trade of the country amounting t.
$50, 900, 900 per annum, and infict a blow
to the cattle business of the nation the
magnitude of which could not he com
puted.
To show the alarming ravages of tn 8
disease in Great Britain in the dreadful
outbreak in 1865 IS, the inspectors under
the Cattle Plague actn passed by Par
lament say in their official report in speak
ing of England alone: 1.-THE total attacks
are returned as 1913, 4O6. The killed (dis-
eased) amounted to 77.50S those which
died to 80, Ais: the recovered to 81 $50 and
the unacconnted for to 1854. Besides
which no less than 1886 have been
slaughtered healthy to prevent the spread
of the malady. These figures are truly
formidable, but they fail to express 1.-THE
of the part of the distress and ruin which
has been brought On hundreds of indus
trious farmers and cattle owners by this
dreadful visitation.
Appalling as are these figures. they are
when compared to what would
be the dire result were this malady allowed
to spread in this country until its death
dealing germs found Judgment among the
countless thousands of cattle now roam
ing upon the fenceless plains of the great
West, where it would be impossible to
eradicate it until the last hoof was exter-
minated.
It bebooves the farmers and cat,le.own-
ers of Virginia to be on the alert in reg I'D
to the matter. The dread malady may be
already within the borders Of the State
D.. Salmon, the chief of the National Blu
relu of Animal Industry, in an address be-
fore the National Cattle Growers Conven-
tion, recently held in Chicago, stated that
it now exists among the cattle of Norfok
city. The Governor of the State is pow
erless to act in this matter. He has not
even the authority to cooperate with the
General Government in suppressing it,
and the General Government cannot act,
because of a foolish provision of Congress
requiring the consent and cooperation of
the State. State legislation on the sub
ject is Of little avail. Virginia might
stamp il out to-day. and tomorrow Mary
land might again send the disease into her
borders. The only remedy is strong ma
tional law enabling the government to
crush it wherever found. Such bill has
been prepared by the N stionaI Cattle
Growers Association, aad has been intro
dnced into Congress by Senator Miller, of
New York. This bill should be passed
through both houses of Congress as speed
lily as possible. To this e ID every possible
influence should be brought to bear by oar
people upon their. representatives in the
National Legislature. The protection of
the great cattle industry Of our country,
the preservation of our chief food sup
plies, the restoration aud development of
our foreign commerce in ca. Tie and cattle
products, are matters of such consequence
that our whole people should be prompted
to move in favor of this measure, and that
at once. The poor man. whose children
are dependent upon the family cow that
browses upon the highway the cattle
king that counts his cattle upon thous
aui hills the consumers of beef and but
ter; the transportation companies, who
derive large proportion of their income
from the commerce in cattle and their pro-
ducts, together with all good citizens who
have the general welfare of the country at
heart, should appeal at once by letter and
petition to their representatives in Con
gress to support this measure. There is
said to be large delegation of represen-
tative railroad men in Washington now,
and it is to be hoped that they will bring
their powerful influence to bear in favor OF
this bill.
One of the chief reasons that the wants
of the farmer and stock raiser are so often
neglected by our lawmakers is because
they do not present their wants with sui
.ficient force and earnestness to their rep
resentatives. The writer is not one OF
those who would charge the mass Of oul
legislators as being .inimical to the inter
tsrests of their agricultural. constituents
Mo of them are willing and anxious to
Look after the. interests of the farmer II
the latter will but make theft wishes
known. If the friends of our cattle IN
dustry will but earnestly and persistently
press this question upon the American
Congress, the necessary legislation for ex
tirpating contagious cattle diseases will be
secured at once.
With clean bill of health for our Amer
lean cattle and the consequent increase Of
Our export trades together with good facil
tiles for reaching the markets Of the Worle
through our own ports, cattle-growing an(
feeding will present opportunities to TIT
farmers of Virginia unequaled by an.
other branch Of industry.
What has been written above in reference
to Newport News and the Newport News
and Mississippi Valley railway applies in
large measure to Norfolk and the Norfoll
and Western railway, which latter rum
through one of the finest cattle growing
regions of the world. A. M, BOWMAN.
One of the drawbacks of married life ]
the sickness of the little ones. For col
| or cough YOU cannot find a better remed
l ! Ill 80